Ignition device for internal-combustion engines



H. R. VAN DEVENTER. iGNIIfJN DEVICE 02? {NTERNAL CUMBUSNON ENGINES.APPLxCATmN mm 1.123,2, 1919. U1 .fg Patented M1111. 8. 1921.,

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H. R. VAN DEVENTER. IGNITION DEVICE E'I'IN'INTEIINAL coIvIsusIIoNENGINES.

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APP LlCATl0N FILED APR.Y 7, 1919.

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.HARRY RANDGLPH VAN DEVENTER. or new-Amr, New JERSEY. Asscnon 'ro SPLIT-f DORP ELECTRICALVCOMPANY, or Nev-vn en, New JERSEY, A conronnron or NEWv IGNITION nnvij'on ron INTERNAL-conniosrrolv Enemies.

To all/)fiom it may concern it known that I, ,li-lenny llANnoLrH fiDEVENTER, a citizen of the United `vSta Als, residing at Neivark, in thecount); oi

ax lsse'ii, StatevotNeWJersey.v have invented certain new and useful,Improvements in Aignition Devices for Internal- Comlmstion Enginegofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to theaccornpanv- 1,0, ngdraiving and to the figures of refwciice '-narkedthereon.

. .The invention v-relatcs to new and useful wf improvements in ignitiondevices for inter-1 .lmnalcombnetion engines, and more particularly toan ignition device which includes a retired and a -lnovable electrode,and anlag- -ffineto generator for supplying current 'for fAn object ofthe invention to provide Pff' 20v an :ignition device of the vabovecharacter,

-fzmvhercin the current generating meniiiier ot -the magneto is operatedbj; a-spring,r adapted to be placed under tension by the engine, and

-=;Wl1erein said spring which act-tintes the cnf '25"rent*generatingmember also operates to '-ir' fm'aintain, the electrodes Ain Contact.

,-; A further object of the invention is to -provide-a device of theabove character,

e .wherein the spring which maintains the electrodes in Contact alsooperates to holdI iff I the movable electrode on its seat.

UA further-object of the invention is to .provide an ignition device of'the above ff-U character, wherein the current generation fifi' p35'memberis actuated by a spring operated itrip lever and yielding meane`is provided .ifor limiting the movement of said trip lever, said Springalso serving, to hold the i1-.i I' 13.40; A still further object ofthe.invention is '5to provide a magnetognition device of the abovecharacter, wherein the movable electrode turns about an axis inalinement with f1 the axis of the movable current generating "4" *45member, and wherein a spring utilized tor i operating the trip leverwhich actuales the current generating member and the ..iovable"electrode, and wherein said spring also opcrates to hold the elctro'lesincontact and the movable electrode on its Sea v 'i These andothcrobjects vwill, in part be ullyldescribed. c

Specification of lctters Patent.

obvious and will in part bc hereinafter more Inxthefdrawings which'sliovv byfwjvay or" Patented Mai'. 8, 192i.

Application filed Apri 7, 1919. Serial 288,100.

ilinstnition one embodiment of the invention-- rigure l is a view partlyin side'elevation and partly in section, showing magneto ignition deviceembodying my improvements;

ilig. .9 is 'view partly in top plan and partiY in section of the.saine;

Fig, is an end View of the device with` thegenerator removed;

Fig. l is a. detail, showing the trip lever and the supporting sleevetherefor, 1n sideelevation A Fig. 5 is a similarview, but showing theparte in end elevation;

liig. (i is a side View showin the sleeve larried by the movableelectrode which is operated upon by the trip lever for sepa.

rating the electrodes;

Fig. i is an end view or' the same,

The invention consists broadly in an ignition device having a movableand a. fixed electreiic and a magneto {genera-tor for. supplying;current 'for ignition. The magneto generator is provided with a currentgenerating' member which is oscillated in a magnetic field for producingthe current for ignition. This movable current generating member isconnected to a trip lever. The movable electrode is carried by a shortshaft mounted in n a. suitable igniter block or bracket, and thisshaftis in alinement with the shaft carrying the movable generating member ofthe magneto generator. Mount` cd on tb haft ot the movable electrode isa fixed sie-eve. This fixed sleeve and the trip lever are provided withcooperating parts, which, when brought into engagement, will canse apositive movementto be imparted from the trip lever to the movableelectrode. A spring isconnected to the trip lever and the Sleeve on themovable electrode and operates to perform several iii'nctione. First,thiz# spring is the main actuating spring for the trip lever; second,this spring serves as a nii-.ane for holding the electrodes -in contact;and, third, said Spring serves as'a means tor holding' the movableelectrode firmlyv against its scat. A yielding buffer is provided forlimitinpr the movement of the trip levcr. sorthar. the engaging partsbetween this trip lever and the slcc-re on the .movableeiectrode'arenormally separated a suiicic'nt distance, S'o to permit thc'springoperating upon the trip lever at one end as an abutment. to hold theelectrodes in contact. These engaging parts, however, are so positionedthat the overthrow of the trip lever will compress the buiiersufiiciently so as to4 bring'these parts into engagement and thuspositively separate the electrodes. Another feature of the invention isthe manner of supporting the parts described above. The electrodes aremounted on one supporting bracket and the movable generator is mountedupon the other supporting bracket. These brackets are independent oteach other, although preferably secured to the engine cylinder by thesame bolts.

The invention will possibly be made more clear by a brief reference tothe drawings, wherein I have shown the ignition device as consisting ofa magneto generator G,

whichA is mounted upon a supporting bracket 1. Associated with thismagneto 4generator is a fixed electrode 2, and a movable electrode 3.The movable electrode 3 includes an arm 4, mounted on a-shaft Theelectrodes are mounted in an igniter block or supporting bracket 6. Saidigniter block has. a laterally projecting flange 7 provided with boltholes through which the bolts 8-8 vextend'. Said igniter block orbracket is formed with a forwardly projecting portion 9', which isadapted to fit snugly within an opening 10 formed in the supporting baseplate 11 of the bracket 1. .The bracket 1 is preferably formed of sheetmetal and is provided with parallel arms 12--12 which extend outwardlyfrom the4 supporting base plate 11. and these arms 12'-12 form a shelfon which the magneto generator'is1 bolted by suitable bolts ifi- 13. Thebolts 155-13 extend through lugs 11i-14 projecting'laterally from thearms 12-12. This specific sheet metal bracket, however. forms no partper sc ot my present invention. The base plate 11 is provided withopenings for the bolts 8-8 and these bolts, therefore, Serve to 'secureboth brackets to the engine cylinder. The projecting portion 9 of thebracket 6 serves as a means for holding the two brackets in fixedrelation to each other and prevents any possible shifting of one bracketrelative tothe other during the operat-ion ot the machine and alsoinsures that the brackets shall be re-f 'turned to exactly the sameplace -on the. engine cylinder as when removed for the purpose ofcleaningr the electrodes. It will be noted that when the brackets areremoved,-

" as they are independent, they 'will readily separate from each other,and some means is necessary. in order` to insure that they be returnedto -the same fixed position, so that the synchronism of the `parts maybe in; snred.

The fixed electrode 2 is mounted in a suitable support formed as a part.of the ignitcr electrode, as is usual in this type of ignition on .theengine cylinder.

device, is 'grounded the movable electrode,

The shaft 5 carries extends through the igniter blockl and pro jectsforwardly therefrom for a ,short distance. Said sleeve may be keyed orotherwise sevcured to the electrode shaft. The-magneto generator isprovided with a current generating member which may be in the form of arotor of'any character, and the shaft of this rotor is indicated at 18in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Said sha-ft projects from the magnetogenerator a slight distance and fixed to the end of the shaft is a triplever 19. Said trip lever is keyed to the shaft so as to turn with theshaft. Said trip lever, also, has'a downwardly projecting arm 20.

T his arm 2() projects laterally. as indicated at 21.'where it isprovided with a shoulder 22 adapted to be engaged by the push rod, whichis indicated in dotted lines at 23 in Fig., 3 of the drawings. Thelateral portion 2l of the arm 20 has a forwardly projecting knock ofi'arm 24:. As the trip-lever moves Jforward, it engages the shoulder andSwings the trip lever. The knock oil' arm 4downward and finallydisengages the same from the shoulder 22.

ncircling the shaft of the movable electrode is a coil spring 25. Thiscoil spring at one end is hooked about a pin 26, carried by the sleeve17. The other end bf the spring is hooked about the arm 20. This springis put under slight lateral or endwise tension. s that the springoperating at one end against the trip lever 19 as an abutment serves todraw the sleeve 17 toward the trip lever and as the sleeve is keyed tothe movable electrode'shaft, it forcesthe electrode against its seat inthe igniter block or bracket and thus forms a very tight joint about themoving partsof this electrode.

The trip "leverlQ is provided with a projecting portion at 2T, whichforms a shoulder 28. The sleeve 17 extends within-the coil spring 25 andis also provided with a projecting portion 2 9. The projecting portion29 lie-s in the sam'e vertical plane as the projecting portion ,27, andhas. a shoulder.44

u 120 shoulder 23 of the trip lever when` said trip f 30 which isadapted to be 4engaged by the lever is under movementby the spring 25,as will 'be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Mounted on the bracket 1, and projecting upwardly therefrom. is a post31. In the upper cud ot this post ill is located a butter Said buffer isformed with an enlarged head adapted to move in a recess in the bracketand a sp'ring 33 seated against this head and the bottom of the recessnormally 1 30 Fixed to, this shaft is a sleeve 17. v

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24 engaging the push rod forces the same inverse 'l i when :theparteareiir-normal position. The

.arm 20. is .adapted vto strike and normally lrest againstlthe 'buiiervll'vhe'n this arm 1 l 'is restingagainst the butler, the shoulder .-JlO.is slightlyout-of engagement with the houldenO. ,-The'coil spring 25forces the arm 20 against the buer which serves as an abutment and alimiting stop for the move- .lment,of-the `trip lever. This coil springis 1 5, falso,adaptedv to' turn the movable electrode i 'Y infaclockwise direction and as the shoulders x28jand-30 are ont Aofengagement, the electrode-shaft Wilt be limited bythe movableelectrodecoming into Contact with.V the fixed electrode, .sol thatV4under normal conditions and before the parts are actuated, thespring.-

orugard-,'fitjengages the trip lever Athe @merma-clockwise direction, s,viewed in '.Eig. `3.- .Thisfputs the spring vdorf-30 ,and.'also,jserves to press the contacts very ii'mlyntb engagement, thus insuring a4.perfect vContact between the electrodes. `Vhen the push rod is knockedfrom the shoulder 22 andV releases the trip lever, the sprn 25 willoscillate the trip lever very rapid y, turning the current generatingmember which is in fixed connection. therewith, and just as the currentreaches a maxi- 40 mum peak, the shoulder will strike the Shoulder 30and positively turn the sleeve i7, r/otatingthe movable electrode andseparatmg the'electrodes to produce the spark.- The buffer 32 yieldssufiiciently to permit these shoulders 28 and 30 contacting and theelectrodes to be separated,` notwithstanding.that the spring 33 isnormally of greater tension than the spring 25, for the reason that theJspring 25 is put under greater tension as the push rod turns the triplever and through the momentum of the parts actuated by the spring underthis greater tension, the spring i3 will be compresscdand permit asufficient overthrow to bringabout the result stated. From the. above,it will be understood that I have provided an ignition device, whereinthe number of parts has been reduced to afminimum and a single actuatingspring .used for oscillating the current generating member, the movableelectrodo for holding the electrodes normally in. Contact and forseating the movable electrode.4 lt will also be noted that the movableelectrode shaft is in alinemont with the axis of the current generatingmember and the trip ietive movement from the tripflevelrpto theperformsthe@ double ,function oi'. holding heinovableueleetrode seatedandthe eleci rodesi Contact. Whenthe push rod 23" g5 .moe

derA increasinggtensi'on as Athe arm.;

. ver, and, thereforerwhen .the shoulder; 2S engages the shoulder 3l),there Vwill l.)` no rubbing or sliding oithc one on to th Ithor. -T hereisa direct positive engagemeutaaml a forward movement of thev shoulder:B Qyin the same direction as the movement3 of the shoulder'QS.Thisavoids anyafivear at this point ofgco'ntzict:between-thcr ri verand. the member-'on the movv trode. it vvill also he notedthat-tlieparts are free from all adjust-ing featitres, so that when`once propcrlytimed and constructed, there are no adjust-ments 4which;cani/,be tampered. with and thus the parts',throygngout of properadjustment. lVhilel lliaveshown a shoulder engagement betu'eentlu-i triplever and the sleeve on the movable electrode, it will be understood`roi' course, that other dcvices may be used for imparting` .thisymesimovable electrode.. it will alsobi ,under-v stood thatvarious,-modiiicatioi may be made in -thedetails et construction;withoutdepart-ing --fronr'the spirit of tliegiiiycnnipn, as set `forth in the'appendedclaimsi- .HavingI thus described myiiA v n, what Iclaini'i'asniiw and desire to urepby Letters Patents: i l 1 l. `-in auignition devic f, .#1 eliminati: e

.movable electrode,.a magnetog 4neratjor hav-I 95 ing a currentgenerating member, a trip lever connected to said current generatingmember, a` spring connected to the trip lever for actuating the same,means actuated by the overthrow of the trip lever for separating theelectrodes, and means lwhereby said spring normally holds saidelectrodes closed.

la an ignition device, a iixed and a movable electrode, a magnetogenerator having a current generating member7 a trip lever 105 connectedto said current generating member, aspring connected to the trip leverfor actuating the same, means actuated by the overthrow of the-triplever forseparating the electrodes, means whereby said spring normallyholds said electrodes closed, and means whereby said spring foractuating the trip lever holds the movable electriode on its Seat.

3. Tn an ignition device, a. lined and a 115 movable electrode, amagneto generator having a current generating member, a trip leverconnected to said current generating member, a yielding buffer forlimiting the movement of the trip lever, a spring connected tothe triplever for actuating' the same, means4 for connecting said spring to themovable electrode whereby said spring normally holds the electrodes incontact, and positive 'means for iu'iparting the overthrow move- 125ments of the trip lever to the movable electrede for separating thesame.

l. in an ignition device, a fixed and a movable electrode, a magnetogenerator havl ing a current generating member, av trip leverAelectrodes are mounted, a magneto genera-` connected to said currentgenerating member, a yielding buffer for limiting the movement of thetrip lever, a spring connected to the trip lever for actuating the same,means for connecting said spring tov the movable electrode, whereby saidspring normally holds the electrodes in contact, and positive means forimparting the overthrow movements of the trip lever to the movableelectrode for separating the same, said spring being disposed so as tohold the movable electrode on its seat.

5, In an' ignition device, a fixed and a movable electrode, a magnetogenerator havinga current generating men'iber, the shaft oi'which is inalinement with the shaft of the movable electrode, a trip lever mountedon the shaft of the current generating member, a spring fo' actuatingthe trip lever, a sleeve on the'shaft of the movable electrode, saidspring being connected to said sleeve and ato the trip lever andoperating normally to hold the contacts closed, engaging parts carriedby the sleeve and the trip lever, a yielding' butler for limiting themovement of the trip lever so as to hold said engaging parts separated,whereby the spring will normally hold the contacts together.

i 6. In an ignition device, a fixed and al movable electrode, a bracketin which said tor,n an independent bracket on which said magnetogenerator is mounted, said brackets having intel-engaging parts forholding the same in fixed relation to eachot-her, said generator havinga current generating member, a trip lever for actuating the same, aspring for operating said trip lever, yielding means for limiting themovement of the trip lever, and means for positively imparting theoverflow movements of the trip lever to the movable electrode forseparating the electrodes, said spring being connected tov the movableelectrode and normally'holding the electrodes in contact.

7. In an ignition device, a fixed and a movable electrode, a bracket inwhich said electrodes are mounted, a magneto generator, an independentbracket on which said magneto generator is mounted, said brackets havinginterengaging parts` for holding the saine in fixed relation toeach-other, said generator having a Acurrentfgel,ierating member, a triplever connected to f said'current generating member, la springfconnectedto the trip lever for actuating thes'ame, means actuated by theoverthrow ofthe trip lever `for separating the electrodes,- and means

